The Top 5 Differences Between Porn and Erotica by Author Patricia Green

Let me start off this article by pointing out that the words "porn" and "erotica" are synonymous for a lot of people—perhaps the majority of people. However, there is a difference—or there should be. Sometimes it's very subtle, but it is almost always there.

So here is my humble take on what makes "erotica" different from "porn" for those people who choose to separate their erotic literature into categories.

1. Porn is about copulating in some form or another. It's generally not about people thinking great thoughts or overcoming spiritual challenges. It tells the story of people getting together for sex, and it rarely goes into the meeting, falling in love, and acting upon that love series. It gets straight to the action.
   
   Conversely, "erotica" (as it is currently marketed) is often about people falling in love. They take their love of one another into the bedroom and we voyeurs get to watch.
   
   
2. Erotica is largely intended for a women's audience. If you ask a woman reading a sexy book to describe what she's reading, she might say "erotica" but she will virtually never say "porn." Men, on the other hand, might have a more realistic view of their literature.
   
   By the same token, men's sex books are almost always called "porn." Oh sure, they read "erotica," but who's given the story that label? Gender matters.
   
   
3. Porn is expected to be down and dirty. There might be socially unacceptable words, or outré situations in porn. This goes beyond titillation and into crude. Crude is not a bad thing, if that's what turns you on that day.
   
   Erotica, on the other hand, doesn't tend to stray into unchartered waters too far. Lately, there's been an upsurge (pun intended) in M/M erotica, but that is becoming more politically correct as time passes. It's not particularly outré anymore, and most of the women—yes, predominantly women—who read it, consider it "erotica."
   
   
4. Erotica is often used as another word for "romance" in popular literature. Romance books have always been about people meeting, falling in love, and enjoying great passions. With the acceptance of "erotica," those great emotions and passions are heightened right into the bedroom.
   
   Porn never tried to be about romance. Porn wants to be about sex, and the fewer romantic elements to clutter up the sex, the better.
   
   
5. Porn has always left the lights on. Because "porn" has always been a male pastime, and men are creatures who are most stimulated by the visual, the predominant sense embodied in written "porn" is that of the eyes. Men want to see the details, and not so much feel them, hear them, smell them, or taste them. That's one reason why video and photo porn will always remain popular for men.
   
   Erotica tends to emote through the sex, often trying to compel those emotions on a sea of sensual stimuli. If the author is a good writer, all of the senses take part in the sex in "erotica" and the way the senses make a person feel in terms of their emotions is a key aspect of the work.

In the end, however, readers will try a little this, and sample a little that, and find authors whose style and tastes are in line with their own. Whether you call it "porn" or "erotica," if you like it, own up to it. There should be no stigma attached to either genre.

In conclusion, my own personal opinion is that both labels provide some valuable information, and throwing all the stories into one big bin without some attempt to sort them out is burying your head in the sand. 

Sometimes, you want to read porn, and you ought to be able to go to a bookstore (especially an eBookstore) and search on "porn" to find what you're looking for. Sometimes, erotica is more to your liking, and you'd rather look for that emotional type of writing, with hot and heavy sex included.

There are two popular words for erotic writing, and we ought to use them, not interchangeably, but more to help us find what we're looking for and not be disappointed as readers. I don't know about you, but I don't want to spend five bucks on a mystery book only to find out it's actually political history. Why should I feel any different about "erotica" and "porn"?